Shoe with vulcanized on sole structure



1963 NIKOLAUS HANSJOSTEN 3,074,185

SHOE WITH VULCANIZED ON SOLE STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 23, 1957 INVENTOR. N.HBan5 0 65 United States Patent 3,074,185 SHOE WITH VULCANIZED N SOLE STRUCTURE Nikolaus Hansjosten, Pluwig, Kreis Trier, Germany Filed Oct. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 691,838 2 Claims. (Cl. 36--14) This invention relates to shoes having an upper, an insole secured to the upper, an outer sole of flat rubber, synthetic material and the like of substantially uniform thickness, and an intermediate sole of plastic unvulcanized material between the secured upper and insole and the outer sole with such intermediate sole serving to connect the outer sole to the secured upper and insole in a vulcanization process.

It is known in the art to make shoes of such type by seaming the upper to the insole and drawing such assembly over a last which is thereafter employed to close a sole mold. The sole mold is composed of two parts, namely, a base plate and a frame with the joint between the base plate and frame lying on the upper surface of the laterally extended base plate. The seal between the base plate and frame is provided by the outer sole which is calendered, stamped and prevulcanized from a solid rubber mixture, the outer sole being so dimensioned that in the area of the joint, it projects therein.

The seal in this fashion is necessary since it can be eifected by a solid rubber mixture in prevulcanized form without the material being forced out while an unvulcanized porous rubber mixture would be forced out in such a high degree that a usable shoe could not be produced.

The procedure above described is objectionable in that after vulcanization and removal of the shoe from the mold, the outer sole must be trimmed thereby imparting an unattractive appearance by virtue of the trimmed or cut surface. Furthermore, it is not possible from the practical viewpoint to align the cut or trimmed surface of the outer sole with the outer edge or perimeter of the intermediate sole whereby either the outer sole will project slightly laterally at some locations or the trimming step is effected too sharply thereby damaging the solidified outer edge or perimeter of the intermediate sole. In both of these cases, the problem of an easy detachment of the outer sole from the intermediate sole arises.

To overcome the foregoing objectionable characteristic is an important object of the invention and is achieved by securing the outer sole firmly and reliably with the intermediate cushion sole.

Broadly the invention comprises an upper, an insole secured to the upper, an outer sole of flat rubber, synthetic material and the like of substantially uniform thickness, an intermediate layer of plastic unvulcanized mate rial between the secured upper and insole and the outer sole adapted to provide an intermediate cushion sole, said outer sole being of such dimensions that its perimeter extends upwardly of the perimeter of said intermediate layer approximately one-half the height of the intermediate layer upon vulcanization so that the intermediate sole bonds the outer sole to the secured upper and insole and the upwardly extending perimeter of the outer sole merges with and forms a continuation of the perimeter of the intermediate cushion sole to provide a smooth continuous perimeter to the entire sole constructed by the intermediate cushion sole and the outer sole.

When the known molds are employed, the joint gap between the base plate and the frame must also lie in the area of the outer sole. According to a particular embodiment of a vulcanization mold, which is not the object of the present invention, the joint gap is in the area of the wearing or tread surface of the outer sole per se but it is also possible to locate such gap precisely in the corner between the wearing or tread surface and the side surface provided a sharp corner is desired. In such situation the outer sole which following the stamping step presents a side surface even if such surface is relatively thin having its upper edge projecting above the joint gap but this very small overlapping of the outer sole above the joint gap and the covering of the gap which is essential can be improved by punching or cutting the outer sole to a dimension larger than that corresponding to the wearing or tread surface so that the margin or peripheral edge of the outer sole is forced into the intermediate sole. In such a situation, molds of a particular shape presenting a rounding, which molds are not the object of the present application, can be used.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross sectional View of a part of a shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention and with the mold parts being shown in dot dash lines, and

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating an embodiment in which the margin of the outer sole has been skived.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the shoe includes an upper 5 which is secured by stitches 6 to an insole 7. During manufacture, the secured upper and insole is drawn over a last (not shown) and serves as a closure for a mold consisting of a base plate 8 and a divisible frame 9. Initially an outer sole it} is positioned in the mold and thereafter above the outer sole is introduced a rubber mixture which subsequently forms cushion sole 15.

According to the invention, the shoe is so constructed that the outer sole It] is cut or stamped so that its perimeter or marginal edge is larger than that corresponding to the actual wearing or tread surface of the sole. After being positioned in the mold, the perimeter or margin folds or extends upwardly as illustrated at L1 in FIGURE 1. Since the outer sole 10 is of prevulcanized rubber, it has sufiicient plasticity to assume even a relatively sharp edged form. Accordingly, a usual mold with a sharp cornered junction between the frame and the base plate can be used. It will be noted that the upwardly extending margin or perimeter 11 of the outer sole 10 merges with and forms a continuation of the outer edge or margin 12 of the cushion sole thereby providing a smooth continuous perimeter to the entire sole defined by the cushion sole and the outer sole. By virtue of this arrangement damage to the edge or margin 12 does not occur and since such edge has a very low porosity and an excellent natural smoothness, as is well known, the skin is, therefore, very durable.

In FIGURE 2, the margin of the outer sole is skived as indicated at 13 and in this embodiment the joint between the plate 8 and the frame 9 is located on the underside of the outer sole in the area of its wearing or tread surface. Otherwise, the embodiment of FIGURE 2 corresponds to that of FIGURE 1.

The invention may be modified in various ways and as already proposed, the upwardly extending perimeter of the outer sole can extend a greater distance in the toe and heel regions of the sole for greater protection in such areas. Furthermore, in the use of outer soles which are of larger dimensions than the actual wearing or tread surface of the sole, the upwardly extending perimeter or marginal portion of the outer sole can be of a softer material than the remaining portion of the outer sole for facilitating the upward folding movement of such portion. This result can be achieved, for example, by treating the marginal portion of the sole with softening agents. The provision of softer material for the marginal portion or the treatment with a softening agent would be effected immediately prior to the vulcanization step. t

Also, soles of various materials such as, for example, leather soles can be vulcanized in the above described manner.

The invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity to the showings of the drawings but changes or modifications may be made therein so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 7

-1. A shoe comprising an upper, an insole secured to 'the jupper, an outer sole of flat rubber synthetic sheet material and the like of substantially uniform thickness, an intermediate layer of plastic unvulcanized material between the secured upper and insole and the outer sole adapted to provide an intermediate cushion 's'ole, said outer sole being of such dimensions that its perimeter extends upwardly of the perimeter of said intermediate layer approximately one-half the height of said inter- 4 r r mediate layer upon vulcanization so that the intermediate sole bonds the outer sole to the secured upper and insole and the upwardly extending perimeter of the outer sole merges with and forms a continuation of the perimeter of the intermediate cushion sole to provide a smooth continuous perimeter to theentire sole constituted by the intermediate cushion sole, and the outer sole.

2. The-shoe as claimed in claim -1, in which the upwardly extending perimeter of the outer sole is softer material than the remaining portion of the outer sole.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,559,532 Smith Oct. 27, 1925 2,129,106 Szerenyi Sept. 6, 1938 2,580,245 Rollman'et a1. Dec. 25, 1951 2,694,871 Rollman c Nov. 23, 1954 2,799,034 Crowell et a1. July 16, 1957 V FOREIGN PATENTS 667,837 Great Britain Mar. 5, 1952 

1. A SHOE COMPRISING AN UPPER, AN INSOLE SECURED TO THE UPPER, AN OUTER SOLE OF FLAT RUBBER SYNTHETIC SHEET MATERIAL AND THE LIKE OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM THICKNESS, AN INTERMEDIATE LAYER OF PLASTIC UNVULCANIZED MATERIAL BETWEEN THE SECURED UPPER AND INSOLE AND THE OUTER SOLE ADAPTED TO PROVIDE AN INTERMEDIATE CUSHION SOLE, SAID OUTER SOLE BEING OF SUCH DIMENSIONS THAT ITS PERIMETER EXTENDS UPWARDLY OF THE PERIMETER OF SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF THE HEIGHT OF SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER UPON VULCANIZATION SO THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SOLE BONDS THE OUTER SOLE TO THE SECURED UPPER AND INSOLE AND THE UPWARDLY EXTENDING PERIMETER OF THE OUTER SOLE MERGES WITH AND FORMS A CONTINUATION OF THE PERIMETER OF THE INTERMEDIATE CUSHION SOLE TO PROVIDE A SMOOTH CONTINUOUS PERIMETER TO THE ENTIRE SOLE CONSTITUTED BY THE INTERMEDIATE CUSHION SOLE AND THE OUTER SOLE. 